Rate gyroscope



May 2, 1961 w. E. BENNETT 2,982,139

` RATE GYRosGoPE Filed Oct. 5, 1959 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Tim May 2, 19.61 W. E. BENNETT 2,982,139

RATE GYRoscoPE Filed oct. 5, 1959 /2 sheets-sheet 2 put axis which is` perpendicular ,toi both responsetothel torque, ,the gyroscopic gimbal 'element` 1 gimbal, persists as long las the input turning ,rate perdashpot damping.L Also,l the .zminiaturization of the unit.:

rltCd States iQ Thepresent invention relates to rate` gyroscopes, and it relates more yparticularly to an improved rategyroscope of the sub-miniature type andwhich isgcapable of high temperatureoperation.4 Y .i v

i A rate `gyroscope` is a single axis;instrum ent, in which an inertial mass vspins;about thataxis, and which is sensitive to'angular rate of change about an` input axis perpendicular to the axisgotthe spinning mass. `When ani input turning rate is applied to;l the input axis, the gymscopic action; will cause a torque to appear aboutan outa ltheiinput v axis and the axis of the spinninginertiaLmaSS.'

`The `torque referred toinfthe precedingy paragraph isdirectly proportionalto the product of they inputturning rate and the angular momentum ofthe nertialrnass';` Inl supporting the inertial mass,` is caused to accelerate about the output axis. This girnbalis constrained by afspring, and it vis caused to precess` tofan. angle at which the ref,l strainingtorqueis exactlyequal to ,theprecession torque'.

t The angular displacement ofthe gyroscopic element, or

sists.; `This angular displacement `is al direct measurement` ofthe :input turning rate `abtmtthe,input axis.l QA' signalproducing deviceisgcontrolled by the gimbal to develop.A an output voltagel which is proportional to theinput'turnaction, returnsy thegimbal tojits originall position, andthesignal-producing device `prodl'lcesa `zero .or null out-f put voltage.;` w w f i f yTherpresentf invention, as mentioned above, provides an `improvedsingle axis rate gyroscopeaassernbly. The embodiment `oiithe inventionfto be. described may 'beacon-, structed to beof sub-miniature; size iofjfor example,'ap proximatel-yjll/zQ inches long-Land fyi( inch in, diameter. Moreover, tthe-,nnit may: be t .constructedtto withstand extreme temperatures 11p,to,yfor;` examp1e, 700 F. E YThe, high temperature capabilities of kthe gyros'cope to be de; scribed are possible because; it does snot -usel ,af lioatation ofl the ',inventionis made practical; dueltoa unique and" improvedconstruction ofth'eelectricniotor which idrives, the `iner'tialmassof the` gyroscopew a, f

`F1oatationvdashpot damping, isnnotfsuitable for? use inI instruments which are Atto voperate. `in `a Wide 'temperature range..:Thisisgbecause the more common'oatation dampdamning tisslsdefnetarse; .f f...-

'lheembodiment of the 'invention to be described may whichthe permeability of the iron is greatly reduced.,-

- convenientlybe 'constructedv to use jewel'bearingv for boththe inertial mass rotor and the gimbal. The gyroscope of the embodiment of :the invention Ato beldescribed also uses an electric drive motor'whosel stator is supported on the frame of the gyroscope ratherthan on i the g'imbal forV reasons to be explained.

Oneofthe reasons is that the positioning of the lstator onthe frame permits the weight of the gimbal and the rotor o f the gyroscope of the invention to be maintained at a relatively loW value. This permits the relatively delicate 4jeweltype bearings -to be used to advantage. Be cause of the low weight of the gimbal-supported elements,l in the gyroscope of the invention, the shock-and vibra-V tion loads on the jewel bearings can be maintained well within `present-day safe. stress limits.V Moreover, Vthe jevvels ,can function in their inherent low friction region.

noted.h above, in t-he embodiment of the invention to be described, the rotor ofthe gyroscope is drivenby a stator which is ixed to the frame-of the gyroscope, rather than toithe'gimbal asis the practice in most prior art` This reduces the inertiaof the gimbal. as com-t pared withthe prior art assemblies.` The reduction in gimbal inertia provides a unitwith a high natural fre? quency The construction referred to inthe preceding paragraphI permits a greater percentage ofthe over-'all 'gyroscope masstobe used for motorir'on and copper, as compared with usual present-day designs. This allows for, great er, exibility in the' design of a quickstarting yand eicientmotor for driving the gyroscope. This increased amount of iron that may be incorporated in the gyroscope of the present invention without aectingl the characteristicsofthe gyroscope, enables the gyroscope to.operate effectivelyy at extremely high temperatures at- Moreover, the. increased Vamount of, iron that may -beI ing rate. Whenthejinput-turningrate ceases, the spring i Y used in the gyroscope of the invention permits less eia, cient, but more thermally stable. materials to be usedin thev assembly ofthe invention.y f

v Anotherimportantadvantage of the gyroscope to be described, andwhichin accordance withtonem embodi-y ment ofthe invention, has1the stator of itsdrivemoton mounted on the frame 4of the gyroscope, is thatwtherequirement for sliplringsL for the. drive motor is eliminated.

Moreover, this particular construction enables-the Aweight of the gimbal-supported components .to be a--rninimum This, as noted, above, servesftoreducerotor inertia and. toimprove thecharacteristics vof theV gyroscope. f t

The constrlictionofv the `drive y motor of the .embodif ment Yof the invention `referred to in the precedingparagraphs is .such.,that Irelative motion between the stator; (which is-rnounted on the frame of the gyroscopelnand therotoniwhich eis mounted en the gimbal ot the gyr o` scope) will,occuras thegimbal rotates about the o ut.

. put axis, This, how ever, is: advantageous as it results in viates the possible 'use ofheatersfof anypracticable size. 65

damping and restraining? electsgt Both theseeiectsare useful .and `desirable in` the] normal operation of the rate gyroscopeli- ,1. .z e `I Intthe embodiment ofgthe invention to be described,l h oweverth e major ,portion ofthe damping and vre= straining eiects in the rate gyroscope are provided by a torsionbarspring `and by 'a magnetic damping-mechanism. For, operation in awidetemperature range,` the material forthetorsion bar spring` is ;,chosen' to pro.,

t videga relatively constant. spring elasticity fcoelicient throughout the wide range. The magnetic dampingmechanismfto ,be-described is alsooperablefthrougha wide temperaturwanse.- The. v swftsuch damping mesh?v anism is made possible, ,inr the .construction 'ot the inve can rusedfa'nd because of .the correspondingly' siill fatented May `2, 196,1,

resulting in more desirable response character- 3 Y dampingforces' which are required, when the teachings ofthe'invention are-fo1lowed; l e -v Magnetic damping mechanisms cannot conveniently be used in most present day rate -gyroscopes dueto the extremely# large sizes-ofvsuch mechanisms'fwhiclrwould 5 b`e required to handle the mass' ofthe; gimbal-supported' components` in such prior art assemblies; This isbecause-offbasic'limitations or air gaps' and" densities; and because` forcesavailable.l increaseapproximately linearly with theV size'ofthe gyroscope, while thev damp- 10 ing'forcesl required increase `exponentially with size. The embodiment' of the invention to be described'approaches the optimumY sizeforA efficient4 utilizationI of the magnetic damper.

Further features and advantages-of'1 the'linve'nt-ion will' 15 become-apparent fromY a consideration of the accompanyingdrawings' and ofthe Ifollowing specification.'

In the drawings: Figure l is'a perspective view of' one embodiment'of. the gyroscope' of thev invention', partly in section, -andyh 20 taken from one' end' of the gyroscope, this view revealing the rotor for'the gyroscope and the drive'motor with' its stator mounted on thev frame of' the gyroscope, andV this View also' showing anV induction type pickoff' which is-used"in the illustratedy embodimentgof the' invention 25 and a drag-cup-magnetic type damper'which also is used;

Figure 2 is a perspective-view of'the gyroscope, partly-l inv section, and-takenA from 'the' other' end'of the gyroscope, this latter view revealing the induction-type picko in more detail, and also' showing'a' torsionl'bar'` sup- 30 port for the gimbal of'the gyroscope;

' FigureY 3'is4 a side sectional view of theY gyroscope, taken substantially on'the line 3:--3v of Figure l, this lata ter--view showing -in moreA detail the'drag-cupy magnetic' damper assembly, the inductive-type pick-ufff assembly, 35 and the manner in whichthe gimbal is' mounted on the frame'of the 'gyroscopei and Figurel 4 is a side sectional viewof' the gyroscope, taken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure 3, and this' view showing'the details ofthe rotor of' the gyros'cope" 40 and the manner `in which itfis'rotatably mounted in the'V gimbal of the gyroscope.

Withreference to the drawings, it 'willi be observed'k that the illustrated gyroscope'includes any outer housing 10 whose longitudinal axis'liesV along the output'axis 45l I`I ofJ the gyr-oscope. Thehousing 10l is generally cylindrical inshape, and itV includes-anannular` collar? lziwhichI extends about its outerperiphery and which serves-to facilitate mounting the'gyroscope.' V The-housing'l() includes acover "14 which is threadedY 50 into-one end of the housing-in' a-v mannersuch that'the-f outerA surface of Athecover is ilush fwit-hthe endv ofthe housing. '1A' cylindrical shapedpermanfent--ma'gnet mem# ber 1'61is `axedto the inner surface ofl theA cover'-, and thispermanent'magnet is supportedbyth'efcover in co- 55 axial relationshipwith the 'I-I laxis ofthe assembly. A-lnico V is suitablematerial for-thepermanent magnet 16,-`and the material'fis magnetizedfina transverse' direction with krespect-tothernember 16'. Thechoice. of Alnico V is appropriate-fonhightemperature operation; 60 of' the gyroscope assembly'. This isf because-the permeabilityof'the material is relatively constant-iup to 750 F. The permanent magnet, therefore, will not `introduce.` any major changes inthe damping characteristics ofthe instrument. aslvtheambient temperature risesto. such a- 55 valuei .1- Abearing 18 (Figure Slis-'mounted-inthe-permanent magnetv 16 at thecenter-of-'thepermanent'v magnet-aud in coaxial'relationship with the I`I axis ofltheassembly.- A' supporting. spindle 20' -for the'gimbal of the gyroscope 70 is rotatably supportedin the bearing 118.- The--otherend otthe gimbal is supported'Y by' atorsion bar'f2'2 l'in the illus tratediembodiment However, other supporting-means',

s'u'clras lllexure pivots, ,maybe used: y

vZrslr'nore clearly shown'in Fgures'ZE andj", the left 75 `relatively, constant with temperature.

hand end of the torsion bar 22 in Figures 2 and 3 is attached to-the-gimbal, and thatn endlof the torsiorrbar is rotatably mounted in a bearing 24. The bearing 24 and the right hand end of the torsion bar 22 are supported by a sleeve 26. The sleeve 26 is supported in the frame 30 of the assembly. A disc-shaped member 32. is threaded to the right hand end of `the sleeve Z6 and rigidly holds the sleeve in the frame.

The gimbal of the-"gyroscope is designated generally as 34, and the. gimbal is pivotally supported in the frame 30 for limited angularmovement labout the I-I axis. The gimbal is so supported by the spindle20 at one end and by the torsion'bar 22,at,they other. Angular movement of the gimbal' about the'I'-I' axisv is restrained by the torsion bar and by amagnetic damper to be described and which includes the permanent magnet 16.

The torsion bar 22 may be composed of any suitable resilient material. A material such as Perma-nickel, for example, is advantageous because it producesA aconstant torque throughout a wide temperature range. is becauselthe modulus of'y elasticity of that material is Under some circumstances, it may be desirable to selectl avmaterial for the torsion bar whosemodulus of elasticity changes withl temperature in order to compensate for changesV in thc characteristics of theV assembly due to changing 'parameters l of' other components;

' `As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the spindle-20ct the vAny movement of the gimbal V34about the I-I axisl causes the dragcup 44 to yrotate in the magnetic field of v the? permanent magnet' 16.. Such rotation causes the eldof the permanent magnet to produce eddy currents inthe dragcup.- These eddy currents, in turn, set up magnetic elds which react with theield 'of the permanent magnet to oppose such angular' movement of the gimbal about theI-I axis. This results in a desired damping action onthe gimbal;

Asg'noted above, the gimbal 34 is supported on the frame 30' for limited angular movement about the axis I-I'- This movement isfrestrained'and damped-'bythe torsion bar 22 and by the magnetic damper which includesthe vane member 44 and the permanent magnet member 16.` An-inertial mass member 50 is supported in thelgimbal l34 for vrotation about an axis X--X which is .disposed at right angles to-'the axis I-I (Figure 4).

The .inertialmass'S' is so supportedby apair of bearing` 30 (see-Figure '1).' This isfcontrary to most prior art practicesby which the stator -is mounted on thegimbal. This, asriotedfabove, reduces the'inertiafand mass of the gimbal' assemblyl' 1 In .accordance with motoroperatn ing.'principles,'the rotor 56 is disposed in' magnetically coupled relationship with the stator v58', and thel stator causes a torque to be exerted on the rotor upon' the introduction of an electric' current to the stator.

rotor hadan, angular momentum' of I 5440 gran'ncm peri second;Y the rotor was drivengat' 24,000 Vr.p.mi; .and` thel Thisrate range of the instrument was 50 per second. As noted, the drive motor may be of the hysteresis type. The stator may be coated with a ceramic iilm to bond the stator laminations. This lm may also provide the required stator slot insulation. The stator winding may be formed of anodized aluminum wire, for example, or of copper wire with a silicone co-ating. The stator winding may be encapsulated with a silicone type resin.

The stator laminations are preferably formed of a material exhibiting low change in permeability with temperature. Commercially pureiron is suitable for the purpose. The use of a hysteresis type motor is an advantage in that once it is up to synchronous speed, it can withstand changes in voltage and current without aiecting its performance. However, Vother types of motors, such as squirrel cage induction motors, may also be used.

As noted above, the relatively low mass and inertia of the gimbal which is possible in the gyroscope of the present invention permits the use of magnetic damping. This, in turn, precludes the necessity of using lluids so that the gyroscope may be used in wide ranges of ambient temperature.

The gyroscope of the invention may use a multi-polar inductive transducer pick-off, for example. This pick-oft" includes a rotor 70 which is affixed to the gimbal 34, and it is disposed in coaxial relationship with the torsion bar 22 (and the I-I axis) and at the opposite end of the gimbal from the drag cup 44. As illustrated, the rotor may be of the laminated type. The pick-off also includes a stator 72 which also is laminated and which is aixed to the frame 30. The stator includes a winding 74. The stator winding may be excited with an alternating electric current of, forexample, 12 volts. The pick-oil develops a signal indicative of angular movements ofthe gimbal about the I--II axis.

A plurality of pins 76 are mounted at one end of the gyroscope, `and these pins serve -as electric terminals for the windings of the drive motor and pick-off. It will be noted that these windings are mounted on the frame of the gyroscope so that there is no need for sliprings, or equivalent connectors in the assembly.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved gyroscope assembly in which the drive motor has its stator mounted on the frame of the instrument, rather than on the gimbal. This feature, as noted above, inter alia, re-

4duces the mass and inertia of the gimbal for improved operating characteristics of the instrument.

The above construction also permits magnetic damping to be used so that the unit may be used in a wide temperature range, and the invention also provides an instrument in which an improved damper mechanism of the magnetic type is provided.

I claim:

1. A gyroscope assembly including: a frame member, a hollow gimbal member, means for mounting the gimbal member on the frame member for limited angular movement about a iirst axis, an inertial mass member mounted in the gimbal member for rotation about a second axis disposed at right angles to the first axis, an electrically energized drive motor for the inertial mass having a rotor positioned on the inertial mass and having a stator mounted on the frame member and passing through said gimbal member adjacent said rotor for driving said rotor for any angular position of said gimbal member in a range of angular positions, a cylindrical-shaped transversely magnetized permanent magnet member mounted on the trame member in coaxial relationship with the first axis, a resilient member mechanically coupling said gimbal member to said frame member for limiting the angular positions of said gimbal member to the range of angular positions, and a cylindrical-shaped electrically-conductive member mounted on the gimbal member in nested relationship with the permanent magnet member for damping angular movements of the gimbal member about said first axis.

2. A gyroscope assembly, including, :a hollow cylindrical frame member having la longitudinal axis, an elongate hollow gimbal member enclosed by said frame member `and aligned along said longitudinal axis and rotatable about said longitudinal axis, a rotor pivotally mounted inV said gimbal member for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, a stator supported by said frame Iand passing through said gimbal member adjacent said rotor for driving said rotor for any angular position of said gimbal member in a range of angular positions, a resilient member mechanically coupling one end of said gimbal member to said frame member yfor limiting the angular positions of said gimbal member to the range of angular positions, `a damping drag cup mounted on the other end of said gimbal member and enclosed by said frame member, and a permanent magnet mounted in said frame and nested in said cupl for damping angular movements of said gimbal member about said longitudinal axis, said lgimbal member including a pivot pin at said other endrotatably mounted on said permanent magnet.

3. A gyroscope assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said rotor includes an annular member made of hysteresis material to function together with said stator in said gimbal member and adjacent to said rotor as a hysteresis motor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,802,108 Chessin Apr. 21, 1931 2,384,838 Kellogg Sept. 18, 1945 2,416,300 Godsey Feb. 25, 1947 2,672,054 Warren et al Mar. 16, 1954 2,805,578 Wright Sept. 10, 1957 2,839,932 Hayner June 24, 1958 

